Why? Dunno...
I was just in Bible study - with a bunch of pastors - studying the book of Daniel. We read chapter 8 today. Another chapter with visions that nobody understands. We finished reading it (we go around the table, each reading a few verses...) and nobody said ANYTHING. It was so uncomfortable. You see, this is a group of people who are never at a loss for words - they can always pull something out of a passage that we've read (even if it isn't remotely related) and talk for...well, for a long time (occupational hazard, I realize). But not today...
There was a ram, with two horns, and then this one horned goat comes charging up and smashes the ram and its horns fall off (the ram, that is) and then later the goat's horn falls off and four new ones grow. And Daniel is told what all this means - but by the end of the chapter he's exhausted and sick and so amazed by what he's seen (for the end times, the vision says) that he can't understand it.
And neither could we.
It was so uncomfortable - and so refreshing...
You see, too many times we get in this "I've got it all figured out and everything fits in this nice little box" mentality - especially as pastors. But we don't. We don't understand any of this. Not really.
I was called into a hosptial room this week. A woman went into the hospital few weeks ago with a really bad cough - a few weeks later she died. But probably not from the cough. In the interim she had broken her hip - her heart had stopped. Maybe more - the explaination that I got from the family was a whirlwind. But my point is, I don't understand.
Why does that kind of stuff happen to folks who love Jesus with all their heart? Why does that kind of stuff happen at all?
So I'm at the bedside and the daughter asks me to sing to her - what song do you want mom? "Just As I Am." Uh-oh - I know the first line and the last line...so...
Just as I am without one plea...hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmmmmmmmm
Oh, Lamb of God, I come...I come...
She was so calm and peaceful (her daughter and husband hummed along with me - none of us could remember the words) while we "sang." Why? I don't know. I could probably come up with all kinds of physiolgical reasons - and spiritual reasons. I could take the "I have such a beautiful voice that I calm the dying" approach - but you all know THAT'S not true. All I can say is this:
I touched God at that bedside. As I held her shaking shoulder, as I fumbled through a hymn I should know by heart but didn't expect to have to sing, as her eyes closed and she stopped talking - and God was with us. I guess I get Jesus saying, "My peace I give to you...not as the world gives..."
Her body was destroyed, her mind was failing, but her heart was fixed on Jesus. And He came into the room.
Why? I don't know. And I don't want to figure it out. I just want to be there next time He comes...
There was a ram, with two horns, and then this one horned goat comes charging up and smashes the ram and its horns fall off (the ram, that is) and then later the goat's horn falls off and four new ones grow. And Daniel is told what all this means - but by the end of the chapter he's exhausted and sick and so amazed by what he's seen (for the end times, the vision says) that he can't understand it.
And neither could we.
It was so uncomfortable - and so refreshing...
You see, too many times we get in this "I've got it all figured out and everything fits in this nice little box" mentality - especially as pastors. But we don't. We don't understand any of this. Not really.
I was called into a hosptial room this week. A woman went into the hospital few weeks ago with a really bad cough - a few weeks later she died. But probably not from the cough. In the interim she had broken her hip - her heart had stopped. Maybe more - the explaination that I got from the family was a whirlwind. But my point is, I don't understand.
Why does that kind of stuff happen to folks who love Jesus with all their heart? Why does that kind of stuff happen at all?
So I'm at the bedside and the daughter asks me to sing to her - what song do you want mom? "Just As I Am." Uh-oh - I know the first line and the last line...so...
Just as I am without one plea...hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmmmmmmmm
Oh, Lamb of God, I come...I come...
She was so calm and peaceful (her daughter and husband hummed along with me - none of us could remember the words) while we "sang." Why? I don't know. I could probably come up with all kinds of physiolgical reasons - and spiritual reasons. I could take the "I have such a beautiful voice that I calm the dying" approach - but you all know THAT'S not true. All I can say is this:
I touched God at that bedside. As I held her shaking shoulder, as I fumbled through a hymn I should know by heart but didn't expect to have to sing, as her eyes closed and she stopped talking - and God was with us. I guess I get Jesus saying, "My peace I give to you...not as the world gives..."
Her body was destroyed, her mind was failing, but her heart was fixed on Jesus. And He came into the room.
Why? I don't know. And I don't want to figure it out. I just want to be there next time He comes...
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